Dhaka: Water Resources Minister Md. Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee today informed the Jatiya Sangsad that the government has taken a plan to excavate and re-excavate some 20,000 kilometers of canals across the country over the next five years.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister made the disclosure while replying to a starred tabled question by treasury bench member Mohammad Shamim Kaiser (Gaibandha-4) in the House today, with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair. The canal excavation and re-excavation activities are a part of the government’s election manifesto and are currently underway in different districts under a nationwide programme aimed at dredging rivers, canals, sanctuaries, and other water bodies.
The minister stated that under the government’s 180-day action plan, the ongoing projects implemented by the Ministry of Water Resources, Local Government Division, and the Ministry of Agriculture will complete the excavation and re-excavation of 1,204 kilometers of canals across the country by June 2026. In addition, a total of 20,000 kilometers of canals will be excavated and re-excavated over the next five years through both ongoing and new projects.
The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief will also re-excavate and rehabilitate around 1,500 kilometers of canals by June 2026 under the Kabikha, Kabita, and TR programmes. Three canal re-excavation projects are currently being implemented in Gaibandha district under the supervision of the Local Government Division and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. A large-scale project for canal excavation is also under formulation at the Ministry of Water Resources.